Russian conglomerate Sistema JSFC’s Indian mobile unit has opted to exclude the iPhone from its lineup and is instead offering smartphones from China and India to customers.

Dmitry Shukov, chief executive at Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd., told The Wall Street Journal it decided not to carry the iPhone because Apple Inc. sets a floor for unit sales, making it more challenging to sell the smartphone because Sistema Shyam operates on the less popular CDMA mobile standard.

Apple sells phones running CDMA or code division multiple access technology through other channels in India. Of India’s 867.80 million wireless users, only 73.18 million were on CDMA networks at end-March, data from the telecom regulator showed. Sistema Shyam, which provides services using the MTS brand name, competes with Tata Teleservices Ltd., and Reliance Communications Ltd. Read More »